Econobox alternatives
We're happy with the selections on the previous page, but not everybody will want an Intel processor or integrated audio. Since users' needs will invariably, er, vary, we've gathered a list of alternatives and extras on this page.

Processor
AMD can't quite match the performance and power efficiency of Intel's Pentium E5200 in this price range, but the 2.9GHz Athlon X2 5600+ looks like a solid alternative if you like your CPU boxes black and green. It also enables you to choose a motherboard based on the 780G chipset, which has surprisingly capable integrated graphics and a good all-around feature set—a fine choice for those who don't need a proper graphics card but still require a modicum of GPU power.

We picked this particular chip because it's the fastest Athlon X2 we could find with a 65W power envelope. Faster models have 89W or higher TDPs, which strike us as a tad excessive for dual-core CPUs.

Motherboard
Our Socket AM2 processor won't plug into our primary system's LGA775 socket, so we've selected a matching motherboard based on AMD's 780G integrated graphics chipset. The 780G is blessed with a surprisingly competent Radeon HD 3200 integrated graphics processor that can run recent games as long as you can live with lower resolutions and detail levels. Cinephiles will be glad to know that the Radeon HD 3200 can accelerate high-definition video decoding to facilitate buttery-smooth Blu-ray playback, too.

We quite liked Gigabyte's GA-MA78GM-S2H motherboard, but since it appears to have been discontinued, we've picked the GA-MA78G-DS3HP instead. This model has the same basic feature set, but with a larger, full-ATX form factor and more expansion slots. Both boards have great user reviews on Newegg.

As a side note, we should mention that motherboards based on Nvidia's GeForce 8200- and 8300-series integrated graphics chipsets have hit stores, and they're certainly interesting alternatives to the 780G. However, based on our experience with the GeForce 8300, we still favor the AMD chipset.

Graphics
If you prefer Nvidia graphics cards for whatever reason, Gigabyte's GeForce 9800 GT is a solid (albeit perhaps not quite as fast) alternative to the Radeon HD 4830. You may find cheaper 9800 GTs if you shop around, but this one has its GPU clocked at 700MHz instead of the stock 600MHz, and Gigabyte covers it with a decent three-year warranty.